Greenfingers… The Alan Titchmarsh column
He’s a magnificent broadcaster, gifted gardener, brilliant author and all Âround horticultural visionary.
This month, Alan Titchmarsh talks about how you can protect your garden against the winter elements…
As the chill of winter slowly approaches, it’s time to prepare your garden to withstand the cold.
I’ve always stood by a few key rules for protecting your beloved green space.
The first of these is mulching.
Simply, spread a thick layer over your soil to insulate plant roots and retain moisture.
Organic materials like straw, wood chips or compost make excellent mulch,
providing both protection and nutrients. This process also helps prevent soil erosion, keeping your
garden bed intact during heavy rains and frosty spells.
You should also aim to shield sensitive shrubs. Frost can be deadly for tender plants, so protect them with fleece or hessian coverings or even an old bed sheet.
Consider moving potted plants into a greenhouse or conservatory or clustering together against a southÂfacing wall and bubble wrap them to insulate the roots.
Also remember to love your lawn.
In late autumn, give a final mow, keeping the blades high to avoid stressing the grass. Aerating the soil will also help with drainage, preventing waterlogging that can
lead to fungal diseases. Believe it or not, the simplest way to protect your lawn when it’s frosty is to avoid walking on it!
Remember as well to prune deciduous trees and shrubs to promote healthy growth, removing dead or diseased wood and any branches that might
break under the weight of snow. Trunks of young trees can also be reinforced with guards to prevent frost cracks and damage from hungry wildlife.
Where water is concerned, empty garden hoses, fountains and irrigation systems to prevent water from freezing and causing cracks.
Store hoses and any delicate garden ornaments and drain and clean water butts to avoid algae buildÂup, ensuring they’re ready to collect the winter rains.
Also don’t forget about garden visitors. Provide food and water for birds and leave some leaf piles and log stacks as shelter for hedgehogs and insects.
As usual, a little care goes a long way in keeping your garden’s ecosystem thriving.
Greenhouses should also be thoroughly cleaned to remove pests and diseases, and definitely check the heating system, if you use one, to keep your plants cosy
during the cold months.
Finally, the big one – even though it’s winter, start planning for spring! Use these months to plan next year’s garden.
Order seeds, clean, sharpen tools and think about what you’d like to change or improve. A little preparation now will save you a lot of work and worry later.
